Penn State Resumes Season as the 'Most Well-Rested Team in the Big Ten'
Penn State's 17-day men's basketball hiatus will end Sunday afternoon at Purdue, and interim coach Jim Ferry isn't sure what to expect.
"It could be like we’re shot out of a rocket, flying all over the place," Ferry said. "The ball could be flying all over the place for all I know. Hopefully it won't be ugly. ... We're going into it with our eyes wide open."
Having been sidelined since Dec. 30 because of COVID-19 protocols, Penn State resumes its season with a renewed spirit and questions about where it's headed. The Lions lost three straight Big Ten games in December, including a grueling 87-85 decision to Indiana, before pausing team activities Jan. 6 because of positive tests for COVID-19 within the program. Penn State has not yet played a game in 2021.
The program postponed one game (Jan. 3 vs. Wisconsin) before pausing team activities and since has postponed three more. As a result, the Lions (3-4) now confront a schedule opposite of what they played through in December.
Penn State played just three games during the second half of December, which Ferry said blunted the team's ability to find a groove. Now the Lions face a stretch in which they will play four games in seven days, including road trips to Purdue and Illinois with only a one-day break between them.
"We've been complaining about not having enough games," Ferry said Thursday. "Now we're going to complain about not having enough practices."
Penn State resumed practice Monday, five days after pausing team activities. Ferry said players felt "shock and disappointment" at the decision to pause, which occurred during what the coach called a critical time for the program.
The Lions had hoped to rebound from three straight losses to win their first Big Ten game Jan. 3 at home vs. Wisconsin. Two weeks later, they will get another chance at that, this time against Purdue (8-5).
"My message to these guys is, we are the most well-rested team in the Big Ten right now," Ferry said.
The coach would not confirm how many players will be available for the Purdue game, saying only that he has "enough." "I've got a bunch," Ferry added. Penn State does not release testing numbers and player availability for specific teams.
The Lions drilled Monday and Tuesday before playing a simulated game Wednesday, one Ferry said wasn't pretty but was necessary to rekindle the team's game wind. He also expects needing to play more players.
Seven Penn State players already average 21 or more minutes per game, led by Jamari Wheeler (30.9) and Izaiah Brockington (29). But the long layoff will prompt Ferry to make more substitutions.
"It's going to be difficult," Ferry said. "When you're playing four games in a week, it's hard for NBA teams. But we're going to have to do it, and our guys are excited about it."
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